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The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is grateful to Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) for continuing to pressure the US Department of Agriculture to adequately enforce the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), the primary federal law governing the treatment of animals used for exhibition, research, breeding, and dealing.

Rep. Quigley sent a letter to the USDA on April 27, cosigned by 52 members of Congress, urging the department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to strictly enforce the AWA and prioritize the well-being of animals. The letter called on federal regulators to protect animals from unscrupulous dealers and exhibitors and close existing deficiencies in the licensing process.

In response, the USDA presented a selective interpretation of its adherence to the AWA, citing its recently finalized rule on licensing provisions. Indeed, if this rule is strongly enforced, it would end the USDA’s practice of automatically renewing the licenses of dealers and exhibitors, and may stop chronic AWA violators from continuing to operate indefinitely.

However, this change does not go nearly far enough. For instance, applicants will have three chances to pass their pre-license inspections, which will be scheduled in advance. Moreover, it appears that any citations a licensee may receive during unannounced inspections—regardless of how many or how egregious—will not be considered by the USDA in its licensing decisions.

“In the wake of increased public attention to AWA enforcement, I had hopes that USDA would take action to better enforce the law,” Rep. Quigley said. “Unfortunately, in the months since my initial letter, I have grown only more discouraged. USDA must provide Congress and the public with clear, detailed information on how they plan to properly implement and uphold the AWA.”

AWI echoes Quigley’s sentiments and remains deeply concerned about the USDA’s unwillingness to enforce even basic AWA standards of animal care. To cite one glaring example: after members of Congress sent their letter this spring, more information surfaced about the mistreatment of animals at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (G.W. Zoo), which was featured in the Netflix series, “Tiger King.” Photos and video taken by a whistleblower in June revealed young lions at the facility suffering from severe flystrike, a painful condition caused by flies biting and laying eggs on an animal. The hatched maggots then eat the animal’s skin. This condition typically occurs at facilities with poor sanitation, as the flies are drawn to animal waste. The disturbing images showed lions whose ears were raw, bloody, and covered in flies.

For many years, the USDA failed to take meaningful action against the abuse and neglect of animals at the GW Zoo, formerly owned by Joe Maldonado-Passage, also known as “Joe Exotic.” That the facility’s subsequent owner, Jeff Lowe, has also flagrantly violated the AWA speaks to a broader pattern of inaction by the USDA. While the high-profile “Tiger King” facility has drawn media attention, the department’s lax enforcement has allowed similar abuse to proliferate outside the public eye at zoos around the country.

“The USDA has the solemn responsibility of protecting the welfare of animals used by the dealers, breeders, exhibitors, and researchers covered under the AWA, and yet continues to reward those who are chronically out of compliance with the law,” said AWI President Cathy Liss. “AWI will continue advocating for strict enforcement of this law, and is grateful that Rep. Quigley and dozens of other members of Congress share our concerns.”

From documenting how a hungry sea turtle might mistake a plastic bag in the ocean for a jellyfish, to employing forensic science to curb pangolin trafficking, the winners of the 2020 “A Voice for Animals” contest show they not only care about protecting animals and safeguarding their habitat, but also are willing to get involved, make a difference, and educate others.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the annual contest offers high school students ages 14 to 18 the opportunity to win cash prizes for essays, videos, or photo essays that explore strategies to mitigate animal suffering. The contest is sponsored by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and the Humane Education Network, with additional support from the Palo Alto Humane Society.

Twenty winners were selected this year from more than 500 entries received from around the globe. Students addressed timely topics, such as the role of wildlife markets in disease outbreaks and the recent Australian wildfires that scorched millions of acres, affecting billions of animals.

“While COVID-19 has shut down many in-person opportunities for advocacy, young people remain as committed as ever to spreading awareness about the biggest threats facing animals,” said Regina Terlau-Benford, executive assistant at AWI and co-manager of the contest. “These winners continue working behind the scenes to educate themselves and inspire their peers and communities to act with compassion, protect species, and reduce animal suffering.”

The first-place winners are:

• Sarah Robison of Lutz, Florida, for her video, “The Plastic Effect: Sea Turtle Awareness,” which describes her efforts to organize a Sea Turtle Awareness Day at her local aquarium to educate the community about how these marine turtles are threatened by plastic bags, straws, and shriveled balloons, among other marine debris.
• Reed Farrar of Rutherford College, North Carolina, for his essay, “Strange Birds,” which focuses on how a certain fungus, Geomyces destructans, and habitat destruction have devastated bat populations. Farrar built and installed six bat nursery houses to increase his town’s bat capacity.
• Yolanda Chen of Hacienda Heights, California, for her essay, “Overfishing and Bycatch: An Empty Ocean,” which explains how overfishing is contributing to animal suffering and ecological devastation. While working as a camp counselor on a California marine research vessel, Chen devised lessons and activities to delve into the ethics of the seafood industry.
• Liana Hase-Penn of Castle Rock, Colorado, for her essay, “The Tragic Plight of Pangolins and the Poaching of the Endangered Species,” which discusses how pangolins, the most trafficked animal in the world, are being exploited for their scales and bushmeat. Hase-Penn, who has an interest in STEM technologies, details how forensic science is being used to identify and apprehend poachers.
• Dane Wary Lapaan Dulnuan of Ifugao, Philippines, for his essay, “Humanity in the World Wild Web,” which explores how the Philippine eagle, the national bird of the Philippines, has become critically endangered through hunting, habitat loss, and pollution. Small acts can make a meaningful difference, says Dulnuan, who tries to limit his use of products made from valuable trees.

For more information on the “A Voice for Animals” contest and to review all the winning entries, visit https://www.hennet.org/contest.php.

As many teachers virtually welcome their students back to school this month, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) offers a variety of free digital educational resources for students of all ages that encourage respect and empathy for all living creatures.

For teachers of young children (kindergarten to second grade), AWI provides colorful, heartwarming children’s books: Kamie Cat’s Terrible Night chronicles the misadventures of a lost cat. Pablo Puppy’s Search for the Perfect Person is a story about a puppy and an older dog living in a shelter. Accompanying activities include printable board games and coloring books. Both publications are also available in Spanish.

Another book, The Boy Who Loved All Living Things, is a tale inspired by real events from the childhood of Nobel Prize winner Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Together, these three books—created especially for AWI by award-winning author and illustrator, Sheila Hamanaka—teach students about proper pet care and the importance of being compassionate to animals.

In association with the Kenya Wildlife Service, AWI produced A Dangerous Life, a graphic novel aimed at middle school–age readers, written and illustrated by Sheila Hamanaka with Lisa Barile, Rosalie Knox, and Julie Lien. The story, set in Kenya, focuses on the true costs of the ivory trade, including its conservation impacts, and the significance of the family bond to both animals and humans. In collaboration with teacher Nancy Kellum Brown, AWI has produced a free accompanying lesson plan, which includes activity cards and worksheets that can be used on their own or in conjunction with an interactive notebook. These lessons are applicable to several disciplines, including science, environmental education, social studies, and language arts for grades 6 and up.

For instructors teaching in high school and beyond, AWI offers The Magic of Touch by veterinarian and ethologist Viktor Reinhardt, and his wife, Annie. This book reviews the scientific and professional literature to present evidence on the calming, stress-buffering, and life-enhancing effect of touch among animals, among humans, and between animals and humans. AWI has collaborated with Nancy Kellum Brown to produce a lesson plan for The Magic of Touch that is appropriate for courses involving animal behavior, ethology, environmental studies, and philosophy. All books are available in print or as PDF downloads.

AWI also provides free copies of these books to libraries and animal shelters.

To promote alternatives to dissection, AWI recommends state-of-the-art computer programs, tablet and smartphone apps, and three-dimensional models and charts for a range of animals. More than 12 million animals are used for dissection in the United States each year, including frogs, rats, cats, fish, and fetal pigs. The procurement of animals for dissection disrupts ecosystems and causes unnecessary suffering and death.

“Biology is a fascinating field of discovery,” said AWI President Cathy Liss. “There are a variety of ways to encourage a budding interest in the life sciences without sacrificing animals or a quality education.”

Research shows that humane education alternatives are more cost-effective than dissection and produce superior learning outcomes for students. Options include studying animals in their natural habitats or establishing temporary habitats to study smaller invertebrates found locally, such as worms and insects, whose habits are not as disrupted by captivity and who can be released following observation. One very effective way for students to learn vertebrate anatomy and physiology is by building anatomical models with clay, polystyrene, or other materials. Other recommendations for nonlethal study of animal physiology can be found in AWI’s Humane Education brochure. To order copies of all free materials, including books, lesson plans, posters, and brochures, follow the directions here.

Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving on December 1 this year, offers an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity—to use our individual power of generosity to remain connected. This December 1, AWI is asking for your support as we donate animal-themed books to children across the country.

AWI has produced five books that encourage respect and empathy for all living creatures. These engaging stories will help inspire the next generation of compassionate individuals to advocate for animals in and out of the classroom. For every $3 you donate, one of these five books will be delivered to nonprofit organizations working with children living in under-resourced communities and homeless shelters. Your donation covers the actual printing cost of each book. AWI will cover the shipping costs.

For young children (kindergarten to second grade), Kamie Cat’s Terrible Night chronicles the misadventures of a lost cat. Pablo Puppy’s Search for the Perfect Person is a story about a puppy and an older dog living in a shelter. Both publications are also available in Spanish.

Another book, The Boy Who Loved All Living Things, is a tale inspired by real events from the childhood of noted humanitarian Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Together, these three books—created especially for AWI by award-winning author and illustrator, Sheila Hamanaka—teach students about proper pet care and the importance of being kind to animals.

In association with the Kenya Wildlife Service, AWI produced A Dangerous Life, a graphic novel aimed at middle school–age readers, written and illustrated by Sheila Hamanaka with Lisa Barile, Rosalie Knox, and Julie Lien. The story, set in Kenya, focuses on the true costs of the ivory trade, including its conservation impacts, and the significance of the family bond to both animals and humans.

For students in high school and beyond, AWI offers The Magic of Touch, by Annie and Viktor Reinhardt, which discusses the calming, stress-buffering, and life-enhancing effect of touch among animals, among humans, and between animals and humans.

If you have already donated to AWI or are a regular contributor, please accept our heartfelt thanks. Without generous contributors like you, our work to protect animals would not be possible. Your funds are always used wisely: AWI received an A+ rating from CharityWatch and a top 4-star rating from Charity Navigator—the nation’s leading independent charity monitors—in recognition of the organization’s fiscal responsibility and transparency.

Will you join us by donating on December 1 to support youth literacy and improve the lives of animals? On Giving Tuesday, 100 percent of donations received will go directly to this campaign.

DONATE

We understand this is a challenging time for many, and that not everyone will be in a position to donate. If you are unable to donate at this time, please help spread the word about this campaign on social media. Here are some sample posts to encourage your friends and family to take action:

• #GivingTuesday, December 1 this year, is a global day of generosity. The Animal Welfare Institute seeks to help both children and animals this year by donating books that teach the importance of caring for and about animals to children across the country. awionline.org/GivingTuesday2020
• This #GivingTuesday, donate to the Animal Welfare Institute to help teach children the importance of compassion toward animals. awionline.org/GivingTuesday2020
• Together we stand. Together we give. Your generosity to the Animal Welfare Institute will make a difference for children and animals on #GivingTuesday. Learn more: awionline.org/GivingTuesday2020
• #GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity. Join the Animal Welfare Institute on December 1 to help donate books that teach the importance of empathy for animals to children across the country. awionline.org/GivingTuesday2020

Please contact awi@awionline.org with any questions.

*ALL DONATIONS MADE ON GIVING TUESDAY (DECEMBER 1, 2020) WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE DESIGNATED FOR AWI’S BOOK DONATION CAMPAIGN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS CAMPAIGN BEFORE DECEMBER 1, PLEASE WRITE “GIVING TUESDAY” IN THE COMMENT BOX WHEN YOU DONATE. THANK YOU!

Thanks to the hard work of the many members of Congress who support animal welfare, the $1.4 trillion omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2021, which was signed by the president on Sunday, includes some important benefits for animals.

Among them:

Animal Welfare Act enforcement:
The fiscal year 2021 omnibus appropriations bill, which covers spending for multiple departments and agencies through September 30, 2021, directs the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure that inspectors document each instance of noncompliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) in their reports. Moreover, with Congress having directed the USDA to restore AWA and Horse Protection Act (HPA) records that were purged from the department’s website in 2017, the USDA must now ensure that these public databases are at least as searchable as they were prior to the records being removed.

In another move to strengthen AWA compliance, Congress focuses on the online sales of dogs by unlicensed people. Lawmakers have added language that “encourages [the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service] to continue to conduct robust oversight and enforcement” of the AWA and to ensure that “online dealers who are selling animals to consumers sight-unseen…have the necessary license.”

Animals in research:
As it has done for several years, Congress continues to ban the USDA from using funds to license Class B dealers who sell random-source dogs and cats for use in experiments. These dealers were notorious for obtaining animals though fraud and deceit. Congress also directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit a plan by the end of 2021 detailing how it will reduce or eliminate within the next five years the use of dogs, cats, and non-human primates in the department’s research. Additionally, Congress encourages the Food and Drug Administration to use non-animal testing methods on new drugs.

Domestic violence shelters:
The bill provides $2.5 million — up from $2 million in fiscal year 2020 — to expand a program that helps fund shelter and transitional housing services for survivors of domestic violence and their companion animals.

Disaster plans:
The USDA must start the process of lifting the stay on a rule requiring facilities regulated by the AWA, such as puppy mills and roadside zoos, to have plans for the care of their animals in the event of an emergency.

Horse racing:
The omnibus includes the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which aims to reduce the fatalities and injuries that have plagued thoroughbred racing in the United States by ending the dangerous reliance on performance-enhancing drugs. Such drugs can mask pain, inflammation, and other warning signs that often precede catastrophic breakdowns.

Horse slaughter:
Congress extends the ban on the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the United States by blocking the use of taxpayer funds to inspect domestic horse slaughter plants and horse meat products.

Horse soring:
The spending package doubles the funding to more than $2 million for the USDA to enforce the Horse Protection Act and curb the cruel practice of soring among Tennessee Walking Horses, which involves deliberately inflicting pain on a horse’s hooves and legs to create a higher-stepping gait for competition. The omnibus also calls on USDA’s Office of Inspector General to audit HPA enforcement, and urges the USDA to end its failed system of industry self-policing and finalize a rule that would ban the use of devices to sore horses.

Wild horses and burros:
The bill protects horses and burros under the authority of the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service from being destroyed for commercial purposes, such as sales to foreign slaughterhouses. It also calls for the robust expansion of safe, proven, and humane fertility control methods to manage our nation’s herds. Lastly, it includes language aimed at preserving the genetic diversity of the historic Corolla herd on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Endangered Species Act listing decisions:
Congress recognizes the need for listing decisions to be “based on science, not politics,” and expressed concern about proposals to delist “iconic species” without adequate protections in place for their survival. The bill directs the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to make sure there are adequate state management plans in place before delisting any species, and to establish a system for the strict enforcement of those plans.

Wildlife trafficking:
In addition to providing more than $86 million for law enforcement activities to combat illegal wildlife trafficking, Congress notes “the dramatic and disconcerting increase of criminal activity” involving the poaching and trafficking of wildlife parts, and the link between these activities and other forms of organized crime. Lawmakers direct the attorney general to continue to submit annual reports on how the department is addressing wildlife trafficking and the illegal natural resources trade. The department also must provide adequate resources for combating these crimes.

Zoonotic diseases:
Recognizing the clear link between the exploitation of wildlife and the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases, Congress appropriates additional funds to increase port inspections and intelligence efforts. Moreover, the FWS receives additional resources to start a dialogue and work collaboratively with international partners “to stop dangerous wildlife practices that threaten global public health.” The US Agency for International Development receives funds to implement “programs to prevent, prepare for, and respond to, unanticipated and emerging global health threats, including zoonotic diseases.”

Trophy hunting:
The FWS is required to brief Congress on its current policy for allowing imports of sport-hunted trophies, and to provide its “analysis [of] exporting countries’ conservation programs and species survival.” Congress mandated this briefing last year, but the agency failed to comply.

Trapping:
The FWS is also required to brief Congress on the logistics involved with conducting “a pilot program to replace the use of body-gripping traps with non-lethal methods and equipment” on national wildlife refuges

Marine mammals and right whales:
Research and conservation efforts protecting critically endangered North Atlantic right whales receive $5 million in funding — an increase of $2 million from fiscal year 2020. This includes at least $1 million to support an existing pilot program to develop, refine, and test innovative lobster gear aimed at reducing entanglements — a major cause of death among North Atlantic right whales. Funding is also provided to allow the federal Marine Mammal Commission to continue its essential oversight functions, and to maintain a program coordinating a nationwide emergency response for stranded, sick, injured, distressed, or dead marine mammals.

Livestock Indemnity Program:
Noting that millions of farm animals die each year in adverse weather events, Congress directs the USDA to work with producers who wish to voluntarily develop disaster plans in order to prevent livestock deaths and injuries.

Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) enforcement:
Congress directs the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to ensure that all inspection personnel receive training in the agency’s humane handling regulations. FSIS also must resume preparing and posting online quarterly reports of humane handling activities, including the number of administrative enforcement actions taken against slaughter plants.

USDA audits:
Congress encourages the USDA’s Office of Inspector General to audit and investigate the department’s enforcement of the AWA, the HMSA, and the HPA, “to help improve compliance.”

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) announced today the 13 winners of a scholarship designed to support high school seniors who are pursuing post-secondary education to better the lives of animals.

In its second year, the scholarship program recognizes students in the United States who are actively involved in helping animals in their schools or communities, and wish to continue their advocacy in college and beyond. The 13 winners received $2,000 each and were selected from 107 applications.

“AWI has been working for seven decades to improve the lives of animals, but we can’t do it alone,” said Cathy Liss, AWI’s President. “We are proud to invest in these dedicated young humanitarians who are committed to tackling threats facing animals.”

As part of the application process, students were asked to describe their efforts on behalf of animals, their college plans, career aspirations, and views on animal-welfare related topics. This year’s winners demonstrated an impressive level of volunteerism, with extracurricular activities ranging from rehabilitating horses, to lobbying lawmakers, to designing educational programs for younger students.

Many aspiring veterinarians applied for the scholarship, along with students interested in studying wildlife biology, journalism, and film. While their career paths are varied, the students recognized how different professional roles can make a positive contribution to animal welfare.

The winners are: Yaire Barboza, San Fernando High School, California; Victoria Bonavita, North Babylon High School, New York; Amanda Brown, Darrington High School, Washington; Amber Christensen, Thomas Dale High School, Virginia; Hayden Clary, Spartanburg High School, South Carolina; Kylie Cocca, Mount St. Mary Academy, New York; Elise Glascock, Cedar Falls High School, Iowa; Ashlyn Gotori, University High School, California; Drake Hair, Myers Park High School, North Carolina; Tia Joseph, Elizabeth Seton High School, Maryland; Alexis Sanders, Venice High School, Florida; Alexis Wood, Sanborn Regional High School, New Hampshire; and Tyler Wood, Bruton High School, Virginia.

In addition to the AWI Scholarship, AWI, in partnership with the Humane Education Network, holds an annual “A Voice for Animals” competition. High school students from all over the world are awarded cash prizes after submitting essays, photo essays, or videos that examine animal suffering and present possible solutions.

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) welcomes the reintroduction yesterday of the Animal Welfare Enforcement Improvement Act by Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL). This bill would protect animals from unscrupulous dealers and exhibitors, and close existing loopholes in the US Department of Agriculture licensing process that endanger animals and allow chronic violators to escape accountability.

First introduced in 2019, this legislation would end the USDA’s practice of renewing exhibitor and dealer licenses even when licensees have long histories of failing to comply with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), the primary federal law ensuring humane care of animals used in commercial enterprises.

In the past, the USDA routinely rubber-stamped license renewals. Under a new regulatory scheme instituted last year, animal dealers, breeders, and exhibitors—including large-scale commercial dog breeders, traveling circuses, roadside zoos, petting farms/zoos, animal acts, animal rides, exotic wildlife operations, and marine mammal facilities—are required to obtain a license only every three years after passing a pre-announced inspection, and they will be given up to three opportunities to pass. Unfortunately, this system will give licensees who are habitually out of compliance the opportunity to clean up enough to pass an inspection that they were alerted to in advance.

“There have long been serious enforcement failures with respect to the Animal Welfare Act,” said Cathy Liss, president of AWI. “The situation has further deteriorated in the last several years, even as the Netflix docuseries ‘Tiger King’ has brought unprecedented public attention to the activities of notorious roadside zoos licensed under the AWA. The USDA needs to stop allowing facilities to remain persistently and egregiously out of compliance and start taking action sooner—not merely when a case becomes highly publicized.”

From 2016 to 2020, there was a 67 percent drop in the number of AWA inspections where citations were documented, according to AWI research. New investigations plunged by nearly 90 percent during this period.

“The Animal Welfare Act is a crucial piece of legislation for protecting animals, but it must be effectively enforced and that’s why reintroducing the Animal Welfare Enforcement Improvement Act is necessary,” Krishnamoorthi said. “This legislation will end rampant animal cruelty by increasing oversight and transparency of animal dealer and exhibitor licensing while ensuring that those who abuse animals don’t have the chance to do so again.”

The bill would require animal dealers and exhibitors to improve their veterinary care standards and renew their licenses annually, with each renewal contingent on passing an unannounced inspection by the USDA. Businesses determined to be noncompliant with the minimum care standards of the AWA, or that have repeatedly violated the AWA or local, state or other federal laws related to animals, would be denied licenses. Further, the USDA could permanently revoke a license (following a hearing) when a dealer or exhibitor has committed multiple animal welfare violations; such businesses would be barred from receiving a license under another business name or business partner.

The bill also empowers citizens to file lawsuits to enforce the AWA, similar to what is provided for under federal environmental laws.

The $1.5 trillion federal spending bill, signed by President Biden today, includes vital wins for animals, such as right whales and horses, but also provides insufficient funding to implement the Endangered Species Act.

Among the highlights of the omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2022:

Animal Welfare Act 

Using stern language, Congress expressed concerns about “the ongoing mismanagement” of the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal Care Program, which is supposed to ensure the humane treatment of animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Citing media reports about the USDA’s “inexplicable delays … in acting against blatant violations of the Animal Welfare Act,” lawmakers said they intend to monitor the program’s “fulfillment of its statutory and regulatory responsibilities with respect to animals.”

Endangered Species Act

Congress provided only minimal funding increases for the implementation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), an unacceptable outcome given the global extinction crisis. A United Nations report warns that 1 million species are now threatened with extinction—many within decades—yet Congress continues to deprioritize funding for this critical conservation law. There is a backlog of approximately 400 species awaiting protection under the ESA. In total, at least 47 species have gone extinct waiting for protection. Turning a blind eye to these catastrophic biodiversity declines by starving the ESA of funding is dangerous and irresponsible.

Horses

Horse slaughter:
Congress extended the ban on the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the United States by blocking the use of taxpayer funds to inspect domestic horse slaughter plants and horsemeat products.

Horse soring:
The spending package includes more than $3 million—a $1 million increase from fiscal year 2021—for the USDA to enforce the Horse Protection Act and curb the cruel practice of soring Tennessee walking horses, which involves deliberately inflicting pain on a horse’s hooves and legs to create a higher-stepping gait for competition. The omnibus also calls on the USDA to finalize a long-awaited rule that would clamp down on the abusive practices associated with soring and end the failed system of industry self-policing.

Wild horses and burros:
The bill protects horses and burros under the authority of the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service from being destroyed for commercial purposes, such as through sales to foreign slaughterhouses. In a historic movie, Congress directed the BLM to use $11 million for the robust expansion of safe, proven, and humane fertility control methods to manage our nation’s herds.

Wildlife

Trophy hunting:
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is required to brief Congress on the agency’s current policy for allowing trophy hunting imports, and to analyze exporting countries’ conservation programs. Congress has mandated this report for several years, but the agency has failed to comply. A prohibition on importing elephant and lion trophies from Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania was included in the House version of the appropriations package, but, unfortunately, did not make it into the final law.

Trapping:
The USFWS must brief Congress on trapping practices on lands overseen by the agency, and outline nonlethal methods that could replace trapping for wildlife management purposes. This evaluation could be the first step toward the agency implementing a program replacing body-gripping traps with nonlethal alternatives.

Marine mammals 

Research and conservation efforts protecting critically endangered North Atlantic right whales received $21 million in funding—an increase of $16 million from fiscal year 2021. This includes at least $4 million for measures such as enforcement and monitoring, and at least $2 million to support an existing pilot program to develop, refine, and test innovative fishing gear aimed at reducing entanglements—a major cause of death among North Atlantic right whales. A large majority of the funding ($14 million) will be allocated to states to cover costs for the fishing industry to comply with a 2021 federal rule that aims to reduce mortalities and serious injuries from fishing gear to North Atlantic right whales. The rule itself, unfortunately, insufficiently reduces the risks to right whales and should be strengthened.

Aside from right whales, Congress increased funding for the federal Marine Mammal Commission to continue its essential oversight functions. Both the USFWS and the National Marine Fisheries Service also received funding to continue coordinating a nationwide emergency response program—the Prescott Grant Program—for stranded, sick, injured, distressed, or dead marine mammals. Additionally, the USFWS was directed to help manatees with conservation and restoration funds. This species has faced unprecedented challenges, with more 1,100 dying last year due to habitat degradation and declining seagrass, their food source.

Farm Animals

Livestock Indemnity Program:
Noting that millions of farm animals die each year in adverse weather events, Congress directed the USDA to work with producers who wish to develop disaster plans in order to prevent livestock deaths and injuries.

Poultry slaughter:
The omnibus package provides for greater transparency regarding the handling of birds at slaughter by directing the USDA to report to Congress on instances where slaughter facilities were not operating in accordance with directives meant to reduce the risks of mistreatment.

Humane Methods of Slaughter Act enforcement:
Congress directed the Food Safety and Inspection Service to ensure that all inspection personnel receive training in the agency’s humane handling regulations. The FSIS must also ensure that quarterly reports of humane handling activities, including the number of administrative enforcement actions taken against slaughter plants, continue to be made publicly available.

Companion Animals

Domestic Violence Survivors and Their Pets:
Congress increased from $2.5 million to $3 million the funding available for grants to enable domestic violence service providers to create or expand programs to assist survivors with companion animals.

Prohibition on Certain Class B Dealers:
Congress continued its long-standing prohibition on the licensing under the AWA of Class B dealers who sell random source dogs and cats for use in experimentation and teaching.

State Department Explosives Detection Canine Program:
In 2019, the State Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report documenting the unconscionable mistreatment of dogs sent overseas under the Explosive Detection Canine Program. This situation came to light only after a whistleblower—a veterinarian who had worked for the private contractor that trained the dogs—raised serious concerns about their health and welfare. Frustrated with the lack of transparency and accountability in this program since the report came out, Congress told the State Department, as part of the spending package, to submit a report detailing how it has met, or plans to meet, the OIG’s recommendations. The department must also provide “an update on the status of dogs currently in, and retired from, the program since June 2019.”

Animals saw important victories in a bill (H.R. 8294) passed yesterday by the House of Representatives to fund the US Department of the Interior, the US Department of Agriculture, and other federal agencies in fiscal year 2023. The explanatory statements accompanying this package also include important directives to agencies regarding the implementation of laws pertaining to animal welfare. AWI commends this vital work by members of the House Appropriations Committee, and hopes the Senate will include similar provisions in its version of the appropriations bills.

The following provisions are included in the bill:

Animal Welfare Act
The bill provides funds for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), the primary federal law ensuring humane care of animals used in commercial enterprises, and expresses the House’s frustration with the USDA’s feeble enforcement of that law. The House specifically expressed concern about the USDA’s lack of AWA enforcement regarding online dog dealers. Among other actions, the House directs the USDA to ensure (1) regular, consistent, and unannounced inspection of AWA-licensed facilities, (2) that the resulting inspection reports always include all conditions that are out of compliance with the law, and (3) that those reports be shared with relevant local, state, and federal agencies. The bill also increases funding for the Office of General Counsel to address its workload related to animal issues and continued the long-standing prohibition on licensing Class B dealers who sell dogs and cats acquired from random sources for use in experimentation and teaching.

Marine Mammals
The USDA is directed to prioritize and reissue proposed regulations related to the handling and care of marine mammals in captivity. Almost four decades have passed since the last update, and marine mammal science has made significant progress, which should be used to inform care and maintenance regulations—such as increasing minimum space requirements, establishing species-specific ambient temperature ranges, and mitigating the effects of noise.

Wildlife Services
The House has provided $4.55 million to Wildlife Services to “expand, develop, and implement nonlethal methods with a focus on reducing human-wildlife conflicts related to predators and beavers in the Western Region and Great Lakes.”

Endangered Species Act
H.R. 8294 increases funding for Endangered Species Act implementation to nearly $355 million, a $77 million increase over last year’s budget. The ESA has been desperately underfunded for years, despite the overwhelming evidence that we are facing a global extinction crisis, and this increase is needed to begin addressing a backlog of more than 300 species awaiting protection decisions, among other priorities.

Horses
H.R. 8294 blocks the operation of horse slaughter facilities in the United States by permanently barring the use of federal funds to inspect such facilities. The bill includes $4.1 million—an increase of more than $1 million from the prior fiscal year—to enforce the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and combat the abuses associated with the soring of Tennessee walking horses and related breeds. The USDA is directed to finalize a long-awaited rule that would strengthen the HPA and protect horses from soring.

For wild horses, the package offers numerous victories, including $11 million for the administration of humane, reversible fertility control vaccines to manage herds in their natural habitats. The bill extends protections to wild horses and burros against slaughter and lethal control, and includes key directives to improve oversight and accountability of the government’s management of wild equines—from improving the vetting of potential adopters to identifying suitable habitat for wild horses.

Trophy Hunting
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is prohibited from issuing permits for the import of sport-hunted elephant or lion trophies taken in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, or Zambia. It also must review the Trump-era policies that reduced transparency in the import permitting process, and report back to Congress about how to determine whether trophy hunting of these species harms their populations.

Trapping
The USFWS also must brief Congress on body-gripping traps used on national wildlife refuges and outline nonlethal methods that could replace trapping for wildlife management purposes.

Birds
Multiple agencies are directed to monitor their buildings for bird collisions and, at minimum, implement low-cost actions to minimize these collisions, which are responsible for as many as 1 billion bird deaths each year in the United States.

Mink
The USDA is directed to report to Congress on the new Mink SARS–CoV–2 Transmission Avoidance and Monitoring Plan (Mink STAMP), which is designed to monitor for COVID-19 infection on mink farms and minimize the risk of virus transmission among mink, humans, and other animals on and around mink farms. The USDA must share how it is encouraging greater state and industry participation, and what steps it will take to ensure comprehensive COVID-19 monitoring on mink farms. This transparency is vital for gaining a better understanding of the public health risks posed by mink farms in the United States.

Farm Animals
Beneficial directives for farm animals include language to ensure that the USDA remains transparent about the number of humane handling verification procedures performed and the number of administrative actions taken in livestock slaughter plants. The House also urges the department to work with producers to develop disaster preparedness plans to protect livestock, given that millions die annually during extreme weather events. Further, the USDA is directed to support alternative protein research and improve oversight of animal-raising claims on meat and poultry product labels so that such claims are meaningful and in line with consumer expectations.

Companion Animals
H.R. 8294 provides $3 million for grants to assist domestic violence survivors with companion animals under the Protecting Animals With Shelter (PAWS) program.